First Lady says she has no hand in ISAFP appointments

From the Philippine News Agency (Jan 9, 2022): First Lady says she has no hand in ISAFP appointments (By Azer Parrocha)

First Lady Liza Araneta-Marcos (PNA File photo)

MANILA – First Lady Liza Araneta-Marcos Jr. is “sick and tired” of people using her name to stir controversy on the appointment of Intelligence Service Armed Forces of the Philippines (ISAFP) officials.

In a video message sent to members of the Malacañang Press Corps (MPC) Saturday, Araneta-Marcos said she had nothing to do with the appointments of ISAFP officials because it was a job that only her husband, President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr., has the power to do.

“I just want everyone to know that I have nothing to do with ISAFP. I don’t know the people involved. I have nothing to do with the appointments, I leave that up to my husband,” she said in the 35-second video.

Under the Administrative Code of 1987, the President has the power of control over the executive branch including restructuring, reconfiguring, and appointments of their respective officials.

Araneta-Marcos also warned individuals using her name that they would never succeed in getting appointed for positions they wanted.

“If I find out that somebody is using my name, I shall tell my husband not to appoint you, okay?” she added.

She released the video a day after the President reappointed Gen. Andres Centino as chief of staff of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP).

Marcos named Lt. Gen. Bartolome Bacarro as AFP chief of staff in August last year, replacing Centino.

Centino will be retiring from the service in February.

Bacarro was supposed to be the first AFP chief of staff with a fixed three-year term based on Republic Act 11709, which sets the fixed term of key military officials.

https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1192247